Offaly influencer says celebrate the season of Summer and Our Lady's month of May

Hopefully it will make us in some ways feel younger and more alive even in these worrying times. A thought that came to me during my walk is that I love and adore the month of May and the beginning of the season of Summer.

I love the sunshine of the summer months as it brightens up the world, and with it, brings days of new warmth and gives obvious signs of awakening and renewal wherever we look. It amazes me how the evening's start to lengthen to its fullest and how the heat of the sun comes back into the air.  For me, summer is the symbolic season that reminds one to grab hold of all that life has to offer as we are never sure of our tomorrows.  Summer is the fulfilment of a hopeful Spring.

To make the most of summer is, for me, to make the most of all that is good in life.  Gone are thoughts of winter despair or a chilling and wet spring. Everything around us now in this summer season is alive and vibrant and in full maturity.  If I seize a summer day, I believe I seize life itself and find in it all that gives pleasure, faith and meaning. But nothing is as beautiful as all the trees, flowers, shrubs and bushes that are in full bloom and full of life and energy.

It is truly a beautiful, magical and wonderful time of our year. It makes me think about the many blessings that summer shines upon us, such as the warmth and freshness in the air, the warm sun on my skin, wonderful humid breezes, singing of the birds, the growth of nature all around me, animals of all kinds fully emerged, fresh and sea waters flowing, trees, plants and flowers fully blossomed in an array of numerous colours, and of course the oncoming of the summer holidays.
 
Month of Our Lady
I dedicate this thought for the week to Jim Browne and for his family, friends and neighbours who sadly passed away recently. Jim was a spiritual leader and a great example of a person of faith who dedicated his life to Our Lady and guiding many back to their faith and empowering countless souls through the Word of God. His faith was his armour and his rosary, a powerful love of Good and Our Lady wielded daily. Jim lived as a true soldier for Christ, dedicating his life to saving souls, in and through the Word of God and leading them back to their Saviour.

Jim leaves behind a legacy of faith, love, and service that will continue to inspire us all. Rest in peace, dear Jim you will be deeply missed. In this month of May we also celebrate and dedicate the month of our Mother Mary our Queen of Peace. By following Mary, we can see the way to love Jesus more deeply and appreciate how much he loves us. Our Blessed Mother’s unique and holy experience and profound wisdom are a perfect compass for our journey on this earth.

The month of May is a time when the People of God express with particular intensity their love and devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is traditional in this month to pray the Rosary at home within the family. The month of May which is also the month of Our Lady marks the start of the  summer and a time to enjoy and experience life. The flowers are in full bloom, the weather is mild and the first fruits of the soil are beginning to reward our hard labour. It is fitting that we should dedicate to Mary, the most beautiful month of the year, for she is the most beautiful of God’s creatures. We should offer this month to Mary, by increasing our love for her.

We should love her with a filial love, for she loves us with the heart of a mother. If we contemplate her beauty and goodness, we shall be inflamed with love for her. It will be a tender love, such as we have for our earthly mother and, at the same time, a respectful and worshipful love, such as we ought to have for the Mother of God. Our offering of the month of May to Mary, should result in a twofold resolution: the resolution to make good our failings and to advance in holiness. This is the only way in which we can prove the sincerity of our affection, by deeds rather than by words.

Turn to Our Lady
It is certain that we have many faults of character. Let us examine ourselves in front of Our Lady’s May Altar, by comparing our weakness with her magnificence of soul. When we have discovered our failings, let us be courageous in eradicating them. We can offer this sacrifice to Mary, with love and generosity, no matter how hard it may be. We can spend every day of this month, digging out those weeds in the garden of our soul, which, our passions and the influence of evil in our world have helped to flourish. Let us plant and bring to perfection in their place, the flowers of caring and loving virtues. We all need to be positive and embrace abundance, love, care, prayer and joy into our lives, treasuring each moment as it comes.

We get so wrapped up at times, well I know I do, with thinking about the past, a lot of the time trying to control the future and forgetting to enjoy and be at peace in the present moment of now. In this world there is strife. There is hardship. There is suffering. There is inequality. There is abandonment. There is racism. There is injustice. There is also abundant beauty amidst it all. And within that beauty there are reminders tucked away everywhere, encouraging us to persist, to be grateful, to strive, and to bring our dreams for a better world to life.

We have only to open our hearts and look, and we will see them. Please this summer try to embrace the positive in your life as it’s meant to be and be grateful for all we do have. Live and dwell in the moment. Nothing stays the same look at nature. Too often we worry about the future and brood about the past. It is the fear of what might be or what was that keeps us from being in the present. Focus your energy on the present. In the present you are as alive as you can be. Whatever you are doing now, give it your full attention . See it. Hear it. Touch it. Smell it. Taste it. Sense it.

We all need to start focusing on positive thoughts and creative ideas that make us happy and content. Less negative thinking, it only brings down our spirits and serves no purpose. Let's all try this summer and always to make the most of all that is good in our lives and never take anything or anyone for granted. Turn to our blessed Mother Mary in prayer and ask her to help you to live out your journey of life as lovingly and as faithfully as she always did.

Mary's Journey
Mary grew up learning about the promise of the Saviour. When she was a young girl, Mary was engaged to a man named Joseph. Before they were married, she received a vision of an angel who asked her to be the mother of the Saviour she had waited for her whole life. Mary accepted, saying "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).  Being the mother of Jesus was not an easy task. Mary’s life was full of great joys and great sorrows. Mary and Joseph were poor people, so they both worked hard to provide food and shelter for Jesus. Mary raised her son in the traditions of her culture, presenting him in the temple when he was a baby and taking him to Jerusalem for the religious festivals.

Since she knew who Jesus was and what his mission would be, it would have been a huge responsibility! During one trip to Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph lost Jesus. Since he was only twelve years old, they were very worried about him, and searched the city for three days. They finally found him in the temple, preaching to the elders and teachers. When Jesus was an adult and began preaching, Mary accompanied him. She asked him to perform the miracle at Cana, in which he turned water into wine. Mary was completely faithful to the message that Jesus preached, and she was confident that he would grant her request. She instructed other people who were there to "do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). Mary was also with Jesus when he carried his cross. She witnessed the terrible deeds that others committed against him. Because of her faith, Mary did not leave Jesus when he was suffering, even though it would have been a painful experience for her. She stood at the foot of the cross still listening to him and trying to comfort him.

Jesus First Disciple
Since Mary was the first to hear about the mission of Jesus, she is his first disciple. She dedicated her life on earth to following him and supporting his work. She showed others how to follow Jesus as well. It was there that Jesus entrusted all of us to her care. This mission was very close to Mary’s heart. She comforted the Apostles and prayed with them after Jesus' Ascension into heaven.

Mary was with the Apostles when they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and watched them depart for many different countries to spread the Good News of God’s love. Her faith came from an understanding of the great gifts that God had given to her, especially the gift of her son Jesus. This month of May, Mary’s month, spend some extra moments in the rose garden of Marian devotion, for it is there that Christ loved, and still loves, to dwell.

Thought for the week
As your thought for the week and throughout this month of May I invite you to pray as Mary did in the silence of your heart. Take the time to find a place in your home where you can spend half an hour to an hour in silent meditative prayer and in this silent atmosphere try to discover the silence within yourself. This will need time, effort and discipline but the rewards of peace and harmony leading to true understanding and faith make all the work worthwhile.

Mary wants us to pray to her because she wishes to obtain for us, the graces which we require. She loves us very much and is ready to help us to become, like her, living imitations of Jesus, insofar as the weakness of our nature will permit. Let me leave you with this beautiful Marian prayer I like to recite during the month of May and all year through. Mary is the beautiful fragrance of Jesus and to be the fragrance of Jesus is the call of every disciple.

As the prayer of St. Mother Teresa and St. Cardinal Newman goes, "Dear Jesus, be the Light that others see when they look at me. Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance wherever I am. Fill my heart with your Spirit and your life. Penetrate my being and take such hold of me that my life becomes a radiation of your own life. Give your light through me and remain in me in such a way that every soul I come in contact with can feel your presence in me. May people not see me, but see you in me. Remain in me, so that I shine with your light, and may others be illuminated by my light. All light will come from you, Oh Jesus. Not even the smallest ray of light will be mine. You will illuminate others through me. Place on my lips your greatest praise, illuminating others around me.  May I preach you with actions more than with words, with the example of my actions, with the visible light of the love that comes from you to my heart. Amen." Enjoy a beautiful May and summer!!